"What's an energy audit?"

With so much attention focused on “being green”, energy audits are becoming more common. They're a good way to know how to reduce our carbon footprint and simultaneously save money in monthly utility bills. The audits take 2-3 hours and are conducted by independent, professional, and certified third-party companies for the purposes of identifying and remedying major energy leaks in houses. Contact your utility company or realtor for more details.

Although older homes are typically less efficient than newer homes, they certainly can be improved. Surprisingly, according to Realtor.com, the biggest loss of energy doesn’t come from drafty windows and doors, but from construction shortcuts such as the absence of building wrap around joists between floors and walls, and improper insulation in attics, basements and crawl spaces, which can affect houses of any age.

Energy auditors usually focus on improvements that will provide the greatest efficiency at a reasonable cost. Spending a few thousand dollars makes sense, if it will pay for itself in a few years, and it might even increase the value of your home, as our communities become more green conscious. If you are a homeowner and if you want to reduce your energy bills and help the environment, or if you are selling your home and looking for ways to make it more appealing, then an independent energy audit might be a practical plan to look into.

Also, homebuyers looking in our charming community of Lakewood might find it helpful to consider updating an older “home of their dreams” to be more affordable in the long-term. For example, I recently attended a meeting where I learned that National City Bank has a Green Mortgage Program that offers an energy audit and, based on its results, allows a homebuyer to finance energy efficiency improvements for up to 5% of the home purchase price. (Of course, check with a lender for specific details about your individual circumstances and always compare your options.)

But no matter what your circumstances are, an energy audit is a sign of the times – a contemporary service that’s an effective and objective way to determine the best way to be more green and to save money at the same time.